a phrase meaning that it takes time to achieve something important, and you should not expect to succeed immediately

Take it slowly – Rome wasn’t built in a day.

beggars can’t be choosers

If you are asking for a favour from someone, you just have to take whatever they give you. I asked John if he could lend me his bicycle and he sent me this old, rusty one. Well, beggars can’t be choosers.

used to say that even if something happens late or someone arrives late, this is better than if it did not happen, or the person did not come at all

He’s finally arrived! Better late than never, I suppose.

don’t count your chickens

Don’t count your chickens (before they hatch)” means “don’t make future plans based on something that has not happened yet”. Example: You might be able to get a loan from the bank, but don’t count your chickens...

If all we are allowed is hours, minutes, I want to be able to etch each of them on to my memory with exquisite clarity so that I can recall them at moments like this, when my very soul feels blackened.